edwards



J-l P. EDWARDS.'

STATION INDICATOR'.

(No Model.)

Patented Jan. 3., 1882.

UNITED STATES y PATENT OFFICE.

` JOHN P. EDWARDS, or New YORK, N. Y.

STATION-iN DICATo'R.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 251,707,`dated January3, 1852.

ApplicationfiledMarchll,1881. (No model.) l

To all irhom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, JOHN P. EDWARDS, a citizen of the United States,residing in New York city, in the county and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Station-IndicatorsforUseon Railroad-Gars, ot' which tho following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of statica,

indicators in which the names are printed or painted on a long apron ofwoven fabric or other suitable material, which is un wound from oneroller and wound upon another by the brakeman or other attendant at theproper intervals to indicate the successive stations. I have devisedmeans for facilitating the operation, aiding the attendantl to alwaysascertain what is indicated without looking at the face of theindicator, and for insuring the central placing of the name in theproper space at each change. Imount the rollers in a portable case andconnect each roller by beveled gears to a separate shaft extending`outward through the back of the case in convenient position to beoperated by a key from the outside of the case.. I place the indicatorat either end of the car, With its face presented to the passengers andwith its back toward the outside. The operating-shafts extend outthrough small holes in the car end, and are operated from outside.

The following is a description of whatI consider the lbest means ofcarrying out the invention.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification.

Figure lis a front view with a portion ot' the face-plate removed,showing the interior gearing. Fig. 2 is a similar rear view. Fig. 3 is avertical section, showing the apparatus in position on the wall ot' acar with its small window in position to allow of the conductorinspeeting the interior, so as to correctly place the apron. Fig. 4 is adetailed view of parts.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in the figures. i

A is a portion of the car; B, my portable case 5 C D, the rollers, and cd the operatingshafts, which connect by beveled-gear wheels c d and with`beveled-gear wheels C' D on their respective rollers. The shafts areturned by the aid of small cranks c2 212 on the outside of the c'ar.

A small window, a, is made in the car end, which coincides in positionwith a corresponding aperture, b, in the back of the casing B. One orboth ot' these apertures are glazed to defend against the weather; butthe glass should be kept clean and bright to allow inspection .by theattendant on the outside.

The apron E is wound on the rollers, so that by turning one to take up.the other will be turned ofitself to deliver. G G are rods, of ash orelastic material, serving" as slight brackets, resting against theshafts of the rollers. The pressure ot' each is controlled by a separateadjustingscrew, H, which is adjusted from time to time to secure a justsnflcient resistance. Without this adjunct the mechanism is liable toturn too easily, especially as the device gets old, and to slacken theapron.

The inner face of the case is wholly or largely of glass. The name ofthe station is presented in large letters on the face side of the apronE, and -is shown through the glass to the passengers in the car. Theback ofthe apron carries on one edge the name ot' each station in l,

small letters, and alsoa series ot' denite marks, I, which aid inleaving the apron in the correct position after eachmovemeut. Twodistinct marks, J J, aremade on the fixed frame-work adjacent to theedge ofthe apron. When the apron is shifted to announce the nextstation, the operator, standing outside, looks through the window b atthe small name on the back of the apron and the corresponding mark I,and takes care to leave it with the mark I standingadjacent to andbetween the marks J J.

K and L are rollers, placed in the position represented, which have theeffect to holdthe apron closely pressing against the glass at the faceof the case.

I attach much importance to the fact that the shafts c d are distinctand capable of being separately operated, and that they extendhorizontally outward, so as to be from the platfrom of the car.

The invention avoids all necessity for special provisions for expansionand contraction ofthe apron. It allows the apron to be adjusted withease in exact position under all circumstances,

easily operated IOO traveling either way, and allows prompt and easycorrection if through inadvertence or any cause the apron is turned toofar.

Modifications may be made in the forms and 5 proportions ofthe details.Ipropose to place the case B and its contents over the door or a Windowhigh enough to be seen over the heads of passengers Who may be standing.In many cars a light or ventilator overthe door or Win- Io dow may bebrought to coincide with the window b in my casing and avoid making anyspecial opening a in the car for the purpose. A bracket may be provided,when required, on which the attendant may step to attain suf- 15 iicientheight to turn the upper crank.

I claim as lny inventionl In a station-indicator.having an apron, E,mounted on independently-operatedrollers C D, the bracket Gr, bearingaga-inst e ich roller, and adjusting-screws H, operating upon'each 2oWing of the bracket, in combination with said rollers and with means, cd, for operating them, substantially asset forth;

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at New York city, this24th day of March, z 5u 1881', in' the presence of two subscribingwitnesses.

J. P. EDWARDS.

Witnesses:

W. GoLBoRNE BRooKEs, W. R. HoARE.

